Indexed book or the like



April 28, 1942. H. H. YONAKA INDEXED BOOK OR THE LIKE Filed July 26, 19 39 2 Sheets-Sheet l V R r! MM.

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H. H. YONAKA INDEXED BOOK OR THE LIKE April 28, 1942.

Filed July 26, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor lf nazia 8/ Q By m A iiorneys Patented Apr. 28, 1942 UNlTED STATES PATENT osrlcs Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in in dexed books or the like, and an important object of the invention is to'provide features of arrangement and construction of parts whereby reference may be quickly and easily had to any of the arbitrarily pro-arranged sections of the book or the like, from either the front or the back of the book.

Another important object of my invention is to provide features of arrangement and construction whereby superior strength and durability of the parts are secured, whereby the need for special care and skill in manipulating the indexing means to avoid damaging the book or the like, is eliminated.

Another important object of my invention is to provide features of arrangement and construction of parts which are especially adapted to incorporation in Bibles, whereby a Bible is provided which enables quick, sure and easy reierence to desired sections by the preacher during the course of a sermon or discourse and without interruption thereto.

Other important objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description in connection with the drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a fragmentary front perspective view of the opening side of a Bible incorporating the present invention with the front cover removed to expose the structure involved.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l of the Bible opened to Matthew.

Figure 3 is an enlarged view similar to Figure 2 showing structural details of overlapping and mutually supporting tabs and cut-out construction.

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through Figure 3 approximately on the line 4-4.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary rear perspective view showing the rear or back side of one of the tabs.

Figure 6 is a contracted plan view showing the Bible opened to Corinthians.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but showing the Bible opened to Jeremiah to illustrate the indexing from the front and the back of the Bible.

While a Bible is employed herein to illustrate the invention, the invention is not confined thereto, as applicability of the invention to other forms of books and other groups of bound or unbound pages or cards is deemed obviously feasible.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 generally designates the Bible having the usual primary sections, secondary sections, and subsections. In accordance with the present invention the primary sections such as Genesis, Exodus, etc., are indexed in order from top to bottom and from front to back of the Bible; the secondary sections are similarly indexed; and the subsections are indexed, within the primary and secondary sections, from top to bottom, beginning either below or above the tab designating the particular or primary or secondary section.

The primary sections are characterized by cutouts 6 formed in the outer edges of the pages 1 constituting them, these cut-outs beginning at their top 8 at a point adjacent the upper edge of the pages or at the lower end of the tab 5 designating the particular primary section when this tab is in a top position. The cut-outs ii terminate at their lower end ill at a point suitably spaced upwardly from the bottom edge of the pages I. With the Bible closed this arrangement exposes to View the tabs t of the succeeding primary sections in their top to bottom order.

Each tab 9 after the foremost tab 9 has a companion tab 9 the tab 9 registered with it and backing it up and having the section. designating sign II at the lower end thereof, the rear tab 9 having this designation II at the upper end thereof as clearly indicated in the case of Corinthians in Figure 6 of the drawings. This makes it easy to find the place wanted whether the book is open from the front or from the back with respect to the particular section. As indicated in Figures 1 and 3, the tabs of adjacent sections substantially overlap, and, because of their reinforced construction, the tabs are mutually supporting whereby tearing and buckling of the pages on which they are located and of the pages therebetween is positively prevented under ordinary conditions of use.

Each of the tabs 9, 9 is composed of a part of the corresponding page i self bound in a -U- shaped Celluloid or other suitable material member l I the arms of which are suitably fixed to the opposite sides of the page.

The secondary sections are constructed similarly to the primary sections and are similarly provided with the described reinforced and overlapping tabs.

Subsections of the primary sections are constituted by sub-cut-outs l2 in the edges of the main cut-outs 6 as particularly well shown in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings either above or below, or both, with respect to the tabs 9, 9'. Each subcut-out l2 emoses that portion of the subjacent page which lies between the edge of the main cut-out to the edge of the sub-cut-out l2. Each downwardly succeeding sub-cut-out l2 begins at a further depressed level so that the bottom subcut-out constitutes a tab [3 designating the position of the last sub-section, with the intermediate tabs l3 designating preceding subsections. The described sub-section indexing is to be used wherever quick accessibility to arbitrary or natural divisions, such as subtitles, within a primary or secondary section, is to be provided for.

As particularly well illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings, the companion reinforced tabs 9 and 9, marking the first and last pages of the section subtended by them, are in registry so that they lend mutual support and rigidity to each other. It is also evident from this Figure 3 that the next lower pair of tabs and downwardly succeeding pairs of these tabs 9 and 9 similarly support each other and reinforce adjacent overlapping pairs of these tabs, from the front of the book to the back thereof.

To illustrate the case, dispatch, and eficiency with which the invention is adapted to be operated, supposing it is desired to locate at once for reference the Corinthians with the Bible closed as in Figure 1, the operator simply places the right thumb on the front face of the tab 9 marked Cor and opens the book to that place. With the Bible opened from the back beyond Corinthians, the left thumb is placed on the rear face of the tab 9' marked Cor and the book flipped open to that place, the particular tab 9' in this case being located in a position above that of the other tab 9 marked Cor, and being attached to the last page of the section comprising the Romans. In similar manner of the primary and secondary sections may be made immediately and directly accessible working from either the front or the back of the Bible or other book or similar device. The subsections do not face both ways but are confined to facing preferably toward the front of the book or the like.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of my inventon, it is to'be definitely understood that I do not desire to limit the application of the invention thereto, except as may be required by the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A reversible index for a book, such as a Bible or other voluminous reference work, said book consisting of a plurality of primary sections and a plurality of secondary sections, said index facilitating opening the book at the first page of the primary sections thereof from any position of the book whether open or closed from either end of the book; said index comprising indentations cut out of the free edges of the leaves of the book leaving uncut upper and lower corners of the leaves and leaving uncut that part of the said free edges of the respective primary sections necessary to provide primary index tabs in stepped relation through the book, each of said primary tabs substantially half underlying the index tabs of the preceding primary sections and substantially half overlapping the index tabs of the succeeding primary sections, a first index mark on the lower exposed front surface of the tab of the first leaf of each primary section identifying that section, a second index mark on the upper back exposed surface of the tab of the last leaf of each primary section identifying the following primary section.

2. A reversible index for a book according to claim 1 wherein each of said primary tabs is formed substantially more rigid than the page so that the overlapped relation of the primary tabs strengthens and stififens the index.

3. A reversible index for a book, such as a Bible or other voluminous reference work, said book consisting of a plurality of primary sections and a plurality of secondary sections, said index facilitating opening the book at the first page of the primary sections thereof from any position of the book whether open or closed from either end of the book; said index comprising indentations cut out of the free edges of the leaves of the book and leaving uncut upper and lower corners of the leaves and leaving uncut that part of the said free edges of the respective primary sections necessary to provide primary index tabs in stepped relation through the book, each of said primary tabs substantially half underlying the index tabs of the preceding primary sections and substantially half overlapping the index tabs of the succeeding primary sections, a first index mark on the lower exposed front surface of the tab of the first leaf of each primary section identifying that section, a second index mark on the .upper back exposed surface of the tab of the last leaf of each primary section identifying the following primary section, and stiffening means for the primary tabs comprising relatively stiff plates secured to the front and rear faces of the tabs.

4. A reversible index for a book as recited by claim 1 wherein some of said primary sections comprise a plurality of secondary sections, the

portions of the edges of the first pages of said secondary sections included by said indentations being cut away at points spaced below the primary index tabs to define secondary indentations, the resultant uncut portions existing between the upper ends of said secondary indentations and the lower end of the immediately adjacent primary index tab constituting secondary index tabs, with parts of the secondary index tabs in overlapping relation.

5. A reversible index for a book as recited by claim 1, wherein some of said primary sections comprise a plurality of secondary sections, the portions of the edges of the first pages of said secondary sections included by said indentations being cut away at points spaced below the primary index tabs to define secondary indentations, the resultant uncut portions existing between the upperends of said secondary indentations and the lower end of the immediately adjacent primary index tab constituting secondary index tabs, with parts of the secondary index tabs in overlapping relation wherein said primary index tabs and secondary index tabs having substantially greater rigidity than the pages on which they are formed, so that the overlapped relation of the tabs strengthens and stifiens the index.

HOWARD H. YONAKA. 

